Liquid-Ejecting Supply-Flow Closure Detection During Carriage Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face issues where the supply flow path is inadvertently left closed after transport, leading to failed printing due to forgotten manual operation of the flow path opening mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a contact detection system that includes a contact portion and a detection portion to detect the closed state of the supply flow path during carriage movement, ensuring the flow path is opened before printing resumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the supply flow path is manually closed during transport, then liquid leakage is prevented, but printing may fail due to forgotten manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The detection portion continuously monitors the state of the opening/closing mechanism and provides feedback to the control portion. When the flow path is detected to be closed, the system automatically notifies the user and can prevent printing operations, ensuring that printing only occurs when the flow path is properly open.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring of the flow path state through the detection portion, eliminating the need for manual checking by the user. The apparatus serves itself by automatically detecting and reporting the flow path status, reducing reliance on user memory and manual operation.
2Reliability
If the flow path is manually opened and closed, then transport safety is improved, but operational errors occur due to forgotten state changes
Solution Approach 1:
The detection portion provides continuous feedback about the flow path state to both the control portion and the user interface. This feedback mechanism ensures that the system always knows the current state and can prevent operations when the state is inappropriate, eliminating information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation and memory-dependent user behavior with an automated detection and control system. The detection portion uses sensors or other detection mechanisms to automatically monitor the flow path state, substituting human memory and manual checking with automated electronic monitoring.
3Reliability
If a detection system is added, then printing failures are prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection portion serves multiple functions: it detects the flow path state, provides feedback to the control system, triggers user notifications, and can prevent inappropriate printing operations. By making this single component multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the detection portion, control portion, and notification system into an integrated flow path monitoring system. These functions that could be separate components are merged into a coordinated system that works together, reducing overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring and control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion having a nozzle ejecting a liquid onto a medium, a liquid storage portion that stores the liquid, a supply flow path through which the liquid storage portion communicates with the liquid ejecting portion, an opening/closing mechanism having an opening/closing portion bringing the supply flow path into an open state or a closed state and an operation portion operating the opening/closing portion, a carriage mounted with the liquid ejecting portion and the opening/closing mechanism and configured to reciprocate in a main scanning direction, a contact portion that comes in contact with the opening/closing mechanism when the carriage moves while the supply flow path is in the closed state, and a detection portion that detects contact between the opening/closing mechanism and the contact portion.